LYNNFIELD – During Monday night’s Select Board meeting, the Board interviewed candidates for two volunteer boards.
The first addressed was the open position on the Lynnfield Initiatives for Elders (LIFE) Inc. Board of Directors, and there was only one candidate: Sue Driscoll. Driscoll said she “would like to become a more integral part of governance for LIFE residents.”
Driscoll’s experience stems from her service on the Essex Village Board of Governors. She is now entering her fourth year on that Board, and two of her years of experience were as the Board’s chairperson.
Driscoll described herself as a “retired RN, mother of four, grandmother of eight.” She added that she currently volunteers at Salem and Beverly hospitals and at Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers.
She concluded by asking the Board to consider her “for this very valuable position.”
Select Board Vice Chair Alexis Leahy thanked Driscoll for stepping forward, adding that she appreciated the experience Driscoll would bring to the LIFE Inc. Board of Directors.
Select Board member Dick Dalton echoed Leahy’s thoughts, mentioning that he felt “she’d be a great addition,” and Select Board Chair Phil Crawford agreed with his fellow board members.
The Select Board voted unanimously to appoint Driscoll to the LIFE Inc. Board of Directors for a term ending June 30, 2028.
Next up, there were two candidates – Narin Paul and Beth Smith – for the Cultural Council’s two open seats. Paul went to the podium to introduce herself to the board first.
“I would like to be part of the Lynnfield Cultural Council because I believe deeply in celebrating diversity, fostering inclusion and creating opportunities for all voices to be represented in our town,” Paul began.
She continued, “As a parent of two young girls… I want them to experience a town that embraces different cultures, perspectives and traditions, while also feeling a strong sense of belonging. By serving on the Council, I hope to help cultivate initiatives that reflect the richness of our community, ensure that everybody feels seen and valued and create a welcoming environment where families like mine and all residents can thrive.”
Following Paul’s explanation of why she would like to join the Cultural Council, Crawford said, “I think based on what you’ve given us and what you have to say about why you want to be on the board, I think you’d be a great fit.” Leahy agreed, and Dalton thanked Paul for volunteering.
Smith then took to the podium and explained that her career experience is in higher education, specifically working with international students.
“I see various cultures represented at Northeastern University, and I love watching my students embrace their friends’ different cultures – whether it’s through cooking events, dance events, talent shows and such – and I really do believe that that is an important part of our community as well,” Smith said.
She continued, “There’s a lot of diversity in this community, and with that comes culture. I was very impressed with my son’s (kindergarten) teacher asking what celebrations each family has as part of their family traditions. It’s so much fun to learn about those things and to embrace the differences and the uniqueness of various cultures.
“For me, the opportunity to serve on this board is an opportunity to bring forth various cultures into town and celebrate.”
Crawford said he thought Smith would “be a nice fit as well” for the Cultural Council.
Both Paul and Smith were approved, as the Select Board voted unanimously to appoint the two to the Cultural Council for terms which will end June 30, 2028.
The Select Board accepted two resignations from the Council on Aging’s Anite Migliore and Rod Boone, but candidate Frank Armstrong was not in attendance and was therefore unable to be appointed Monday night.
Crawford said, “When we can get Frank in front of us, we’ll interview him at that time.”
